Venezuela to try captured US duo after failed invasion
Handout picture released by the Venezuelan Presidency of Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro showing the passports of two US citizens arrested by security forces during a video conference meeting with international media correspondents, at Miraflores Presidential Palace in Caracas.
Venezuela will try two Americans captured during a failed bid by mercenaries to invade the country, President Nicolas Maduro said on Wednesday, as the United States vowed to “use every tool available” to bring them home.
Venezuela on Monday announced the arrest of the two former US special forces soldiers on suspicion of trying to topple Maduro.
“They are convicts, confessed, caught red-handed and are being judged by the republic’s attorney general, by Venezuela’s civil courts, and the process will be full of guarantees and fair,” said Maduro, adding that the Americans, identified as Luke Denman and Airan Berry, were being “well treated, with respect.”
Maduro showed the passports of Denman, 34, and Berry, 41, on state television. The US army has confirmed they were ex-members of the Green Berets who were deployed to Iraq.
In Washington, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said the government would “use every tool that we have available to try to get them back.”
President Donald Trump had denied any involvement of his administration in the mission, and Washington accused Maduro of launching a “disinformation campaign.”
US$212m contract
Russia hit out at Trump on Wednesday and described his denials as “unconvincing.”
Venezuela’s Attorney General Tarek William Saab said on Monday that Juan Guaido had signed a US$212 million contract with “hired mercenaries” using funds seized by the US from the state oil company PDVSA.
Denman and Berry are among 17 people arrested for allegedly being part of an invasion force that was intercepted early on Sunday just off the coast, about 40 minutes from the capital Caracas. Another eight alleged attackers were killed.
“They have confessed their guilt, they broke international law, they broke Venezuelan law,” Maduro said.
“They’re in the hands of justice now and we guarantee there will be justice in this case with these two Americans and with the rest of the mercenaries, and that the truth will come out.”
He repeated his accusation that Trump was directly behind the attack, claiming he contracted with a former US army medic Jordan Goudreau to train the mercenary force.
“President Donald Trump is the direct leader of the whole incursion,” said Maduro, who showed a video in which Denman confesses he was hired by Goudreau for the mission, which first aimed to take control of the international airport in Caracas.
Maduro described the raid as a “remake” of the failed 1961 Bay of Pigs invasion, when Cuban exiles covertly financed and directed by the US government attempted to overthrow then Cuba leader Fidel Castro.
